St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-30
DIAMOND LORE.
TIE ROMANTIC ADVENTURES OF
SOME FAMOUS GEMS.
From the Eye-socket of Hindoo God to
the Sceptre of the Czar-Fron Il Slaves
Leg to the Hit of Napoleon's Sword
History of Some of the Most Noted Jewels.

Il4C uldluOuu 1koilA LIIIAS
has been an object of interest. Whether
it glittered on the famous breastplate of
Aaron, or hid its light in the pocket of
the Swiss soldier, who picked up the
Florentine diamond on the attle-tield of
Granson, it has had an existence roman
tic enough to fill ponderous volume.
No description of Madame Bullion's ball
/ is complete unless it includes the dia-
mOnds worn on the occasion, and the
sparkling gem is admired on the i'm
+ maculate bosom of the hotel clerk as
| well as in the crown.
| Most of the famous diamonds of the
/ world have a romantic history. Some of
! it is quite legendary, but all is interest
! ing. The Orlotf diamond, now in the
/ sceptre of the Russian Gar, is said to be
/ the largest undoubted stone. One story
| economically assures us that it was once
one of the eyes of the Hindoo god Sri
| Ranga. The other eye was diamond
of like size and value. Determined to
/ secure the precious eyes grenadier de-
serted the French service and assumed
] the character of a native devotee. This
/ plan worked so we'll that the deity was
I intrusted to his care, but one night he
repaid the Hindoos' confidence by max
ing away with the right orb. Why he
did not take the other also has never
been explained. The deserter sold his
prize for $4,000. The purchaser carried
it from Madras to London, where he got
rid of it at a handsome advance. After
several changes of owners the idols eye
passed into the hands of Prince Orlotf,
who gave it to his royal mistress,
Catherine II. The Orlotf weighs 1914
karats, and cost the CZarina>s lover some
thing like half million.
Next to the Orloff in weight comes the
Pitt diamond, so called because Mr.. Pitt,
the English governor Of Madras, bought
it and removed it to London. 1t was
found by slave in the Porteal mines of
India in 1901. The fellow is said to have
escaped with the gem concealed in a self
inflicted cash in his leg. 1t was after
ward stolen from the slave by an En-
glish skipper, who soldit for a small sum.
Finding its way to France during the
stormy scenes of the French Revolution,
it disappeared for time, but afterWard
turned up in the sword hilt of Napoleon
and was captured after Waterloo. 1t is
said to be the finest brilliant in Europe,
and is now among the crown jewels of
France In shape the Pitt is somewhat
round, and its estimated worth in Amer
lean cash is two and half millions
1t is we'll known that the koh-l-nor
glitters for Queen Victoria. Like the
Orloff and the Pitt, it is a product Of In
dian mines, and Hindoo legends say that
5000 years ago it was worn by
"Karna" At any rate, it passed from
prince to prince until 1S49, when it fell
into English hands by the surrender of
the Puniab to the crown: Since then it
has been kept at Windsor Castle, but
model of it is shown in the jewelroom
of the Tower of London to appease the
curiosity of her majesty's subjects. The
Koh-i-nor is fiat on the lower side, cor
responding to a cleavage plane. This
fact leads some to suppose that it and
the Orloff at one time formed one stone,
but there is, of course, nothing to estab-
lish this supposition.
The crown of Portugal possesses gem
said to be a diamond. If genuine, it is
the largest one in the world This is the
Braganza, weighing 1850 karats in the
rough. OF course the Portuguese contend
that it is pure stone, and guard it closely
as such; but diamond experts are inclined
to doubt, and some go so far as to call it
a white topaz. The Braganza was found
by negro in the mines of Brazil. OF
course the discoverer, who was not a
slave, was cheated out of his treasure
(such is the history of the first finders of
diamonds, and the Portuguese crown Sc
cured it at the first opportunity. If
topaz, it has no great value; if dia-
mond-and we are willing to let poor
Portugal have the benefit of the doubt
it is worth more than twenty millions.
When Mohammed Shah sat on the
throne of Delhi he had the most wonder
full collection of diamonds ever known.
His warlike ancestors had plundered the
King of Golconda and Beljapoor. By
and-by Nadir Shah, who had mounted
the glittering throne of Persia, was at
tracted by Mohammeds treasures, and
at a time when he was not expected, he
came down upon Delhi with the i'm
petuosity of the Assyrian The wonder
full Peacock Throne of priceless jewels
was swept away. SuCll uldL1OluS DIS JIG
koh--nor and the Darya-i-nor, with
thousands of other gems hardly less re-
nowned, disappeared in the lawless loot.
The conqueror bore his spoil to kho-
rassen, where he made the Darya-i-nor,
"Sea of Light" the chief gem in his crown.
That magnificent diamond is now in the
crown of Persia, having had one of the
most remarkable histories known to any
gem in the keeping of royalty.
One might write many pages in telling
the history of the diamond. Found by
slaves, stolen by robbers, fought for on
battle-felds, purchased with blood
money-such is the story. The "Aus-
trian yellow" diamond was once mistaken
for a piece of colored glass, and the
valuable Dudley" was for time a child's
toy The various throne-rooms of the
world are filled with diamonds, but they
never get out to air themselves for the
benefit of the curious. No doubt many
of these are paste" for of late some
clever limitations have been discovered
pretty close to royalty.
There is in the green vaults" of
Dresden one of the rarest diamonds in
the world, yet its weight is but forty
eight and nalf karats. 1t possesses a
y,ao,11ior INT hob